Archive | Uncategorized

“For the majority of us this informative and well researched historical overview is going leave you better informed than most on the subject of postmarks”

History

The first postmark (called the “Bishop Mark”) was introduced by English Postmaster General Henry Bishop in 1661 and showed only the day and month of mailing in order to prevent the delay of the mail by carriers. In the 19th century and early 1900s it was common for letters to receive multiple postmarks indicating the time, date, and location of each post office delivering or transporting the letter, and this is still occasionally true, though to a lesser extent (see “backstamp”). While almost every contemporary postmark includes a location as well as a date, in 2004 New Zealand Post announced plans to eliminate the location on their postmarks and include only the date; however, information about this can be determined by a three-number code on the postmarks.

Pony Express Postmark Circa 1860

Different types of postmarks include railway post offices (“RPOs”) and maritime (on-board ship) postmarks. Postmarks on naval vessels during sensitive operations in wartime are sometimes “clean,” showing less information than normally to prevent route of travel or other details from falling into enemy hands. Similar to this is the “censored postmark,” overprinted with a black obliteration of the time and place of mailing for similar reasons.

Hawaii post once had a surfboard mail postmark, for covers that traveled by surfboard.

A color postmark is on the United States Postal Service-issued collectible envelope commemorating the 2004 inauguration of George W. Bush.

While postmarks are applied almost universally by or under the authority of the official postal department, service, or authority [in the United States it is possible to receive a permit to apply your own postmark, called a Mailer’s Permit Postmark], and under certain conditions specified by the private express statutes in the United States, a privately carried letter may be cancelled with a private postmark.

Unofficial entities that issue artistamps may use postmark-like markings as well.

US Air Mail Postmark

Much of the published work on postmarks covers postmarks from before 1900. (This is perhaps because in the United States so-called fancy cancels were prevalent in this period, with the cancelling device often hand-cut from cork by the postmaster in elaborate shapes such as flags, stars or shapes that were seasonally-appropriate such as turkeys for Thanksgiving). Much work in studying postmarks is needed for 1900 and later.

In Great Britain the first postmark employed for the cancellation of the then new postage stamps was the Maltese Cross, so named because of its shape and appearance. This was used in conjunction with a date stamp which was applied, usually to the rear of the letter, which denoted the date of posting.

Fewer postmarks are used now than previously, with the advent of meter labels, which indicate the precise date and time of acceptance at the post office, some types of computer vended postage, and computerized postage people can print off their own PCs (called in the United States PC Postage, these services were offered by such companies as Stamps.com and Neopost, Inc.). These indicia do not need to be postmarked, though occasionally they are redundantly, and inadvertently (or for whatever other reason).

Ink Color

When the first universal postal system was started in the United Kingdom with its Penny Black, the postmark used red ink for contrast. This was not successful, and the stamp was changed to non-black colors so that the postmark could use black ink.

The majority of postmarks today are in black, with red (particularly in the United States with local post offices’ handstamps) following, though sometimes they are in other colors. This is particularly true in the case of pictorial postmarks if the color in question has some connection to the commemoration.

3D

There have apparently been some postmarks with a “3D” effect.

Digital Postmarks

In 2004 the United States Postal Service announced plans to introduce first day digital color postmarks to be used to cancel some first day covers for commemorative stamps in 2005 and this practice has continued into 2006 and 2007.

Postmark Advertisement

Singapore Post offers a “postmark advertising” service which, strictly speaking, applies to the “killer” rather than the postmark. Hungarian Post Co., Ltd. offers a similar service.

Value

A special or rare postmark can substantially add to the value of a stamp. (In addition to everyday postmarks there are postmarks indicating the first day of issue of a particular stamp and pictorial cancellations commemorating local events, anniversaries, and the like and slogan postmarks which advertise an event or pass information to the public. [There has been a recent change to the term “pictorial postmarks” rather than “pictorial cancellations” by the USPS.])

Postmark Africa

Postmark Africa is a program on the BBC World Service.

Miscellaneous

A timestamp is a type of postmark.

The Postmark Award is given to outstanding employees of Canada Post.

Similar Marks

A postmark should not be confused with the killer; which are lines, bars, etc. used to cancel a postage stamp. Neither should a postmark be confused with overprints generally, or pre-cancels (stamps that have been cancelled before the envelope or package to which they are affixed is submitted or deposited for acceptance into the mailstream, they most commonly have taken the form of a pre-printed city name on the stamp) specifically, which generally do not indicate a date.

Flight cachets, more or less elaborate rubber-stamps on an envelope indicating on which flight (typically a first flight) a cover has traveled via air mail, are in addition to the postmark and are not postmarks either.

Clubs

There are many clubs devoted to the hobby of collecting postmarks. One of those clubs is the Post Mark Collector’s Club, founded in 1946 and based in the USA. Another is the British Postmark Society, founded in 1958.

“Hitting the Mark here we have a presser review that is sure to leave you high, but not dry!“

CHICAGO, IL Fine art, oil painter Robert Goldsberry just posted three new still life paintings to his online art gallery. According to the artist, “I love to paint the things that interest me most,” and what interests him most lately are three brands of liquor.

The American artist who lives and paints in Northern Colorado is showing recently completed still life paintings featuring bottles of Don Julio, Maker’s Mark and Grand Marnier in his online art gallery.

Goldsberry who is a formally trained, fine artistÂ used brush and paint to createÂ these near picture perfect paintings. And it seems that by his choice of subject, and by taking the time to paint these products, he is documenting that these brands are very important to him.

Marketers could say that the paintings themselves are a wonderful tribute to the power of the brand, and confirmation in this case, that art mimics marketing.

In the Don Julio portrait, Goldsberry showcases his favorite brand of tequila, set on a table and paired with a smoldering cigar.Â He titled the painting, The Don.

The artist explains that the painting is, “My favorite tequila, the Reposado by Don Julio, coupled with a fine, Romeo y Julieta “.

The bottle and smoke are set on a bright, white table cloth draped over a polished table. The setting is a classic, still life composition reminiscent of commonly painted pitcher-with-bowl subjects, but with a definite twist.

Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whisky

The Maker’s Mark painting is similar to the Don Julio still life, but is more expressionism than realism. In this artwork Goldsberry honors his favorite whisky and pairs it, as he describes, “with the sculptor’s wax of the Heisman Trophy.”

The artist cleverly associates the artist’s mark, made by the sculptor on the Heisman Trophy, with the maker’s mark, printed on the liquor bottle label. The artist’s own mark, his signature on a painting, completes the theme. Each work of art is marked by the maker to document and hold accountable the creative mind that first conceived the work, and then created it.

The painting, simply titled Maker’s Mark, showcases a bottle of the brand set next to a glass of whisky on the rocks. Goldsberry refines the setting by placing the bottle and glass on a pristine, bright white table cloth.

Once again, the artist showcases one of his favorite things in a classic, still life painting that he has brushed with the skill of an old master. The oil on canvas is a 30″ x 24″ original, oil on canvas.

Why Don’t You View RobertGoldsberry dot com site So You Can Hit The Mark

Grand Memories is the most emotional of the three paintings. Goldsberry comments, “My favorite triple orange liquor,” and explains that, “this painting toasts the last glass in the bottle.”

The scene memorializes a bottle of Grand Marnier polished off by the artist and a group of party friends. He signs-off his description with a “cheers” to viewers, and an implied invitation to enjoy.

Grand Memories is the most detailed of the three paintings.

The still life is beautifully lighted and detailed. The bottle of Grand Marnier is set upon an embroidered, white tablecloth on a dark, wooden table. Bright green leaves of a nearby house plant reach for the bottle, adding color and interest to the tabletop scene. The 16″ x 20″ still life painting is an original oil on canvas and another wonderful tribute to a favorite brand.

Considering the time and effort it takes to create paintings like these, Goldsberry’s choice to showcase these products confirms the power of branding. The artwork is also indicative of the emotional connection between consumer and product.

Those of us who are artistically challenged must settle for enthusiastic word-of-mouth to tout our favorite brands, but clearly, in today’s marketing landscape, pictures like these are worth a thousand, million AdWords.

The Don, an original oil painting depicting the artist’s “favorite tequila” measures 16″ x 20″ and is painted on stretched canvas. The artist fine art painter, Robert Goldsberry. The painting is available for sale online.

The Maker’s Mark by artist Robert Goldsberry is a fine art oil painting featuring the artist’s favorite brand of whiskey. The canvas measures 30″ x 24″ and is available for purchase directly from the artist.

Last of the Grand Memories by Artist Robert Goldsberry is an original oil on stretched canvas. The painting measures 16″ x 20″ and is available for purchase directly from the artist.